Hackleburg's Wrangler plant, destroyed in 2011 tornado, is back in business

Gov. Robert Bentley joined officials from VF Corp. today in Hackleburg to help cut the ribbon on the company's rebuilt Wranger distribution center, which was destroyed in the April 27, 2011, tornado outbreak. (File)

The largest employer in the small Marion County town of Hackleburg is back in business, two years after it was destroyed in the April 27, 2011, tornado outbreak.

Gov. Robert Bentley joined officials from the town, county and employer VF Corp. this afternoon to officially re-open the company's rebuilt Wranger distribution center.

The $31 million facility is smaller than the original one, but because of a more efficient design, it will employ more people. The company employed 155 at the time of the storm and plans to grow the work force to 200, said Scott Baxter, a vice president for VF Corp.

"We have an incredible associate crew, and we wanted to make sure we took care of the people and their families," Baxter said, explaining the decision to rebuild after an EF-5 tornado flattened the previous building.

In the two years since the storm, employees have been working at a temporary site in Holly Pond. They have started to work again in Hackleburg, and the new facility is expected to be at full operation early next month, Baxter said.

"We look forward to building the facility back to where it was," he said.

Features of the new distribution center include a sustainable design that's in line with the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, program.

There's also a safe room that can hold all employees during a storm, Baxter said, and a memorial dedicated to victims of the tornadoes.